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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — for digging
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. wax — to grow
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. object — to protest
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. can — to be able to

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