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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: hand · jam · stand · plane · wake · perch · wax · foot

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wake — a trail
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. hand — in cards
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. hand — help
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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