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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. pound — a weight
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. craft — boats
  6. spell — letters
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fine — all right
  12. spell — magic
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wax — to grow
  16. craft — a skill
  17. squash — to crush
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. squash — the sport
  21. plane — a tool
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fine — high quality
  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