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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. roll — a list
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rock — music
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — a cake
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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