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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. staff — employees
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wind — moving air
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. season — in sport
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — of the year
  22. staff — employees
  23. wind — moving air
  24. plane — in geometry

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