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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cue — for pool
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. season — in sport
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chest — a box
  17. season — of the year
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fork — in a road
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cabinet — ministers

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