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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mark — a trace
  3. craft — a skill
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. craft — boats
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wax — to grow
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. chair — a leader
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. lash — to lash out

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