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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 124 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pass — a permit
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. suit — to fit
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pound — a weight
  14. scale — in music
  15. tube — a container
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tube — the underground
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pound — to hit hard

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