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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wound — an injury
  8. club — for golf
  9. wound — an injury
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. prune — to trim
  13. board — to get on
  14. pit — in a race
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. board — a committee
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. plane — a tool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wax — to grow

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