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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. firm — decided
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. season — of the year
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — steady
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. firm — a company

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