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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 · foot · mark · chest · bulb · mug · wax · stand

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stand — to bear
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mark — a grade
  10. chest — of your body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mug — a face
  21. bulb — for light
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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