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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. last — to go on
  3. cap — of ice
  4. last — final
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cap — a lid
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. saw — the tool
  17. last — finally
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fine — high quality
  24. nail — for a hammer

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