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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: swing · calf · current · plane · wake · wax · bat · cabinet

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. current — of water
  3. bat — the animal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. swing — music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. current — happening now
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. current — electric
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. swing — in golf
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wake — a trail

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