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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: hand · bear · wax · bowl · lie · plane · pass · cold

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cold — an illness
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cold — not warm
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a dish

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