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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. march — the month
  3. drill — the tool
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. drill — army training
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. march — the month
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — for betting
  13. plane — a tool
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bass — low music
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. march — music
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. drill — a practice

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