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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. net — in sport
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pass — a permit
  10. net — after costs
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. plane — a tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. net — for catching
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. perch — the fish
  18. dip — to sink
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. charge — electricity
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. saw — the tool

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