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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. fall — to drop
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bore — to tire
  7. last — to go on
  8. wax — to grow
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. fall — the season
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. last — finally
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. fall — to drop
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. last — final
  23. pop — to visit
  24. foot — a measure

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