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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. plane — a tool
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mine — for digging
  6. firm — a company
  7. game — wild animals
  8. firm — steady
  9. track — a song
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. track — a path
  12. wax — to grow
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. game — a match
  24. firm — decided

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