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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rock — a stone
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fine — all right
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pit — in a race
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pit — a hole
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. rock — music
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. straw — dry grass

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