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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. plane — a tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. march — the month
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wax — to grow
  17. march — the month
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. plane — an aircraft

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