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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. plane — a tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. can — a tin
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. can — to be able to
  8. scale — in music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pop — music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wax — to grow
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pop — soda
  24. fall — to drop

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