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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · bat · rest · wax · suit · craft · bowl · hand

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bat — the animal
  7. hand — in cards
  8. craft — a skill
  9. firm — a company
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hand — help
  14. wax — to grow
  15. craft — boats
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. firm — steady
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. suit — to fit
  22. firm — decided
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bat — for baseball

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