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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bank — for money
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bass — low music
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. court — for sport
  9. club — for golf
  10. court — of a king
  11. club — for dancing
  12. toast — bread
  13. bank — of a river
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. court — of law
  16. mate — a partner
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bank — for money
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. plane — a tool
  24. club — a group

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