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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: plane · roll · drill · foot · firm · can · wax · prune

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — a tin
  7. drill — a practice
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wax — to grow
  10. plane — a tool
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. drill — army training
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. firm — decided
  17. roll — a list
  18. can — to be able to
  19. firm — a company
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. drill — the tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. foot — part of the body

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