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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. staff — employees
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. plane — a tool
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wax — to grow
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — to breed
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pass — a permit
  19. spell — magic
  20. tube — a container
  21. staff — employees
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mate — a partner

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