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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. drill — army training
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. tear — from crying
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wax — to grow
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. drill — the tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. tear — from crying
  16. board — to get on
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. board — a committee
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. tear — to rip

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