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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pit — in a race
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. charge — in control
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. board — to get on
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pit — a hole
  17. board — a committee
  18. wound — an injury
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wound — an injury
  22. charge — a price
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. trunk — of a tree

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