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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. chair — a leader
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stem — to come from
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bass — low music
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bass — the fish
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. suit — in cards
  24. plane — in geometry

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