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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bass — the fish
  4. plane — a tool
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bass — low music
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. content — the amount
  17. rock — music
  18. content — happy
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. snap — to click

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