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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: pit · wax · squash · nail · firm · scale · plane · bark

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pit — in a race
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. firm — steady
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pit — a hole
  11. squash — to crush
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. scale — in music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wax — to grow
  19. squash — the sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. scale — for weighing

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