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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: lash · wax · plane · roll · rock · present · cap · craft

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. roll — a cake
  6. present — there
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wax — to grow
  16. craft — a skill
  17. present — a gift
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rock — music
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. present — the time now
  24. craft — boats

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