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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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Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. scale — in music
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stock — shares
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mug — a face
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. scale — size or range

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