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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bass — low music
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. craft — a skill
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. plane — a tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bass — the fish
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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