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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. clip — for paper
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. clip — a video
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. can — a tin
  12. rule — government
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rule — a law
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. clip — to cut
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. can — a tin
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. can — to be able to

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