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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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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: wax · wave · pit · plane · foot · fork · shower · arm

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wax — to grow
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pit — in a race
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. shower — rain

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