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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wax — to grow
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. object — an aim
  8. root — of a word
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. object — to protest
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. root — the cause
  16. object — a thing
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. toast — bread
  24. coach — a trainer

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