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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fork — in a road
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. march — the month
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. toast — bread
  14. rash — a series
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cue — a hint
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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