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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. ball — a dance
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a great time
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. firm — decided
  11. staff — a stick
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — a tool
  14. firm — a company
  15. staff — employees
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. firm — steady
  18. staff — employees
  19. content — happy
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. content — the amount
  24. ball — a round shape

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