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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 120 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. capital — a city
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a skill
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. content — the amount
  12. capital — money
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — boats
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bear — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. content — happy
  24. wax — for sculpting

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