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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: plane · field · saw · tube · bay · wax · wave · trunk

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. tube — the underground
  8. saw — the tool
  9. field — for sport
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. tube — a container
  16. field — farmland
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. plane — a tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. field — a subject
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wax — to grow

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