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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mine — for digging
  6. plane — a tool
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lean — to bend
  10. object — an aim
  11. lean — thin
  12. rock — a stone
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wax — to grow
  15. object — a thing
  16. rock — music
  17. face — part of the head
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. object — to protest
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. face — to confront
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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