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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 124 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. tube — the underground
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. tube — a container
  7. march — the month
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cue — a hint
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — a tool
  15. march — music
  16. cue — a signal
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. rock — music
  24. tube — in a tire

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