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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. can — a tin
  5. march — music
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. vault — a safe
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. march — the month
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. can — to be able to
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. march — the month
  19. can — a tin
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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