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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. scale — size or range
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rest — a break
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. charge — a price
  13. scale — in music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. charge — in control
  18. cell — a phone
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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