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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
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: wax · lie · craft · rule · net · fine · arm · present

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. net — for catching
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. present — there
  7. rule — a law
  8. fine — all right
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. net — after costs
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. net — in sport
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rule — government
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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