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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: squash · mate · wax · root · swing · stand · plane · scale

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — to grow
  4. mate — to breed
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mate — a friend
  7. scale — size or range
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. squash — the sport
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. swing — to play on
  12. root — of a word
  13. swing — music
  14. scale — in music
  15. mate — a partner
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. root — the cause
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. swing — in golf
  23. plane — a tool
  24. root — of a plant

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