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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. snap — to click
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stand — to bear
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. net — for catching
  24. trunk — of a car

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