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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.

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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: plane · wax · bay · bark · net · bank · club · arm

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. net — after costs
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. plane — a tool
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. club — for golf
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bank — for money
  16. club — a group
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bark — to shout
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. wax — to grow

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