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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. board — to get on
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bat — the animal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — a weight
  17. ball — a dance
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bulb — for light

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