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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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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wax — to grow
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tube — a container
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. mate — to breed
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rest — a break
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. row — a line
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. tube — the underground

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