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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. club — for golf
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. last — to go on
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. chest — of your body
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pop — music
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. chest — a box
  19. pop — soda
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mug — a face
  22. pop — to visit
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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