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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bass — the fish
  7. net — in sport
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — a hole
  11. staff — employees
  12. net — after costs
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bass — low music
  17. net — for catching
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to confront
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wax — in the ear

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