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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: wave · wax · suit · ground · ball · plane · race · trunk

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. plane — a tool
  6. suit — clothes
  7. race — the arms race
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. ball — a great time
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. race — humankind
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. race — a contest
  24. plane — an aircraft

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