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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. can — a tin
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. root — of a word
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wax — to grow
  11. can — a tin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. band — a rubber band

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