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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. pit — in a race
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pop — music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pop — to visit
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. foot — a measure
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pop — soda
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. press — newspapers
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. date — the fruit
  23. press — to push
  24. wax — in the ear

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