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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. wax — to grow
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. firm — decided
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cap — a lid
  11. plane — a tool
  12. season — of the year
  13. firm — steady
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cap — a hat
  17. firm — a company
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. season — in sport
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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