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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. foot — a measure
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bound — certain
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bound — obliged
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wound — an injury
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. trunk — of a car

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