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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 120 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: bass · straw · plane · key · saw · wax · leaves · sharp

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. saw — the tool
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bass — the fish
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. key — in music
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bass — low music
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. saw — the tool

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