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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. prune — to trim
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. chair — a leader
  10. roll — a list
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. vault — a safe
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pit — in a race
  18. staff — employees
  19. wax — to grow
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. roll — a cake
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pit — a hole

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