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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bass — the fish
  5. staff — employees
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rush — hurry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bass — low music
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. staff — employees
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bass — the instrument

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