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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bore — to tire
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wax — to grow

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