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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in biology
  4. wax — to grow
  5. key — in music
  6. can — a tin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. spell — magic
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. key — the most important part
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mate — a partner
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mate — to breed
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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