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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 turn the ________________ on?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — to get on
  4. can — a tin
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — a tool
  7. snap — to click
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. board — a committee
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. can — to be able to

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