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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: plane · drill · wax · rock · wave · toast · bass · fan

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bass — low music
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. drill — army training
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rock — a stone
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. drill — a practice
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — the fish
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. drill — the tool
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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