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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. key — in music
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wax — to grow
  7. swing — in golf
  8. key — the most important part
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. dip — to sink
  14. key — for a lock
  15. tube — the underground
  16. plane — a tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. swing — to play on
  20. tube — a container
  21. swing — music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bowl — a dish

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