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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — soda
  10. plane — a tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wax — to grow
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. march — music
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cell — a phone
  18. pop — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pop — to visit
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cell — in biology

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