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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 116 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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. plane — a tool
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bat — the animal
  6. charge — in control
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. net — after costs
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fall — the season
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. net — in sport
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. charge — a price
  23. net — for catching
  24. bat — in an idiom

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