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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. drill — army training
  8. plane — a tool
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cell — in biology
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wax — to grow
  18. drill — the tool
  19. key — in music
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — the most important part
  22. content — happy
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bear — to put up with

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