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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. squash — the sport
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. suit — to fit
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — a publisher
  15. spell — a short time
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. press — to push
  20. spell — magic
  21. vault — a safe
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mate — to breed
  24. spell — letters

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