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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: wake · press · plane · saw · safe · wax · chest · wave

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wake — a trail
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. press — a publisher
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. chest — of your body
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wax — to grow
  16. press — newspapers
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. press — to push
  24. safe — out of danger

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