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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 116 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rest — a break
  12. bore — to tire
  13. key — in music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. key — for a lock
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wax — to grow
  24. tube — a container

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