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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 120 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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bass — the fish
  4. vault — a safe
  5. wax — to grow
  6. suit — in cards
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — a company
  16. shower — rain
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. suit — to fit
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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