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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.

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: pound · face · mark · drill · wax · wake · plane · dip

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mark — a grade
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. drill — army training
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mark — a trace
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. plane — a tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wax — to grow
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. dip — to sink
  23. face — to point toward
  24. plane — in geometry

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