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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 116 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: lash · plane · nail · wax · wind · mouse · rock · tube

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rock — a stone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wax — to grow
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. tube — the underground
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wind — moving air
  23. tube — a container
  24. rock — music

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