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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fall — to drop
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. object — an aim
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rule — a law
  9. wax — to grow
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. object — a thing
  16. rule — government
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. plane — a tool
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. object — to protest
  22. fall — the season
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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