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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — a price
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — in control
  24. bark — to shout

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