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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wax — to grow
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stock — shares
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bear — the animal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stock — goods
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. date — the fruit
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. stock — a soup base

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