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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rash — hasty
  6. wax — to grow
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pop — soda
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. face — part of the head
  12. shower — rain
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. face — to confront
  15. pop — music
  16. plane — a tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pop — to visit
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. face — to point toward
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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