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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wax — to grow
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chip — to eat
  10. swing — music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. swing — in golf
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rest — a break
  17. plane — a tool
  18. swing — to play on
  19. shower — rain
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. shower — to wash

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