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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. last — to go on
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. prune — to trim
  10. last — finally
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mark — a grade
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wax — to grow
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. tube — a container
  19. last — final
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. prune — to trim
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wave — with your hand

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