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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.

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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: pass · tube · last · present · foot · plane · wax · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. last — to go on
  3. pass — a permit
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. roll — a cake
  8. last — finally
  9. wax — to grow
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. foot — a measure
  16. tube — a container
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. present — a gift
  21. tube — the underground
  22. last — final
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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