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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. craft — boats
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. present — a gift
  9. suit — clothes
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. race — the arms race
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pop — soda
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wax — to grow
  18. craft — a skill
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. object — to protest
  22. race — a contest
  23. pop — music
  24. race — humankind

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com