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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. saw — the tool
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bass — low music
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fall — the season
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bass — the fish

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