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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
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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: file · row · tube · plane · wax · key

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. file — a line of people
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wax — to grow
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. key — in music
  9. tube — a container
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. tube — the underground
  12. row — a line
  13. key — for a lock
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. key — the most important part
  16. file — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. file — a document

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