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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. charge — a price
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. charge — electricity
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lean — thin
  9. track — a path
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. vault — a safe
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. lean — to bend
  20. charge — in control
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — boats
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wax — to grow

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