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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bank — for money
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bore — to tire
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. ball — a great time
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bank — for money

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