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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. shower — rain
  10. cue — for pool
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cue — a hint
  14. craft — boats
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. shower — to wash
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wax — to grow
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cue — a signal
  23. craft — a skill
  24. plane — an aircraft

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