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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. swing — music
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bound — obliged
  15. hand — help
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bound — certain
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pitch — completely
  21. swing — to play on
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. swing — in golf

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