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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — in cards
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. foot — a measure
  8. staff — employees
  9. plane — a tool
  10. dip — to sink
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. suit — clothes
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wind — moving air
  17. staff — employees
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. suit — to fit
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. wind — moving air

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