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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: firm · mouse · wax · fan · cell · plane · prune · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. cell — in biology
  3. wax — to grow
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — a law
  15. firm — steady
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cell — a phone
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. prune — to trim

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