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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: spell · fine · plane · firm · degree · wax · bulb · land

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. spell — magic
  3. plane — a tool
  4. degree — temperature
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. firm — decided
  9. fine — all right
  10. land — a country
  11. degree — an amount
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — for light
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spell — letters
  20. firm — steady
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. fine — high quality

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