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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. staff — employees
  8. lean — thin
  9. toast — bread
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fine — high quality
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. press — to push
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. staff — employees
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. press — newspapers
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fine — all right
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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