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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: ball · craft · object · date · bear · lie · arm · wax

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ball — a dance
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. object — a thing
  5. date — the fruit
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. craft — boats
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. object — to protest
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bear — the animal
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wax — to grow
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — an aim
  24. ball — a round shape

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