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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pop — to visit
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pop — music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pop — soda
  15. mark — a trace
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. row — a line
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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