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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wax — to grow
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rest — a break
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mug — a cup
  11. plane — a tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. mug — a face
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. key — in music
  24. rest — what's left

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