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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 124 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wax — to grow
  4. suit — in cards
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. court — of law
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. court — for sport
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — to fit
  13. scale — size or range
  14. court — of a king
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. scale — in music
  21. stand — to bear
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. charge — electricity
  24. craft — a skill

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