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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mug — a cup
  6. race — a contest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. race — humankind
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. key — in music
  12. mug — a face
  13. fall — the season
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bark — to shout
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. race — the arms race
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. key — the most important part

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