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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pop — soda
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pop — music
  12. cap — of ice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lean — thin
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wax — to grow
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cap — a hat
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a grade

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