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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wax — to grow
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stem — to come from
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. racket — for tennis

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