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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · chest · kick · fall · wax · season · arm · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fall — to drop
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. season — in sport
  6. mug — a face
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. wax — to grow
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — in football
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mug — a cup
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mug — to rob
  17. fall — to drop
  18. chest — a box
  19. season — of the year
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fall — the season
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. arm — a part of something

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