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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bound — certain
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bound — obliged
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. saw — the tool
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wax — to grow
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bound — tied together
  24. hide — to keep secret

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