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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rash — hasty
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rash — a series
  22. rest — a break
  23. plane — a tool
  24. ball — a dance

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