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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wax — to grow
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rock — music
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rest — a break
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — to wash
  24. kick — in football

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