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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 120 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: temple · suit · fall · present · plane · wax · club · bear

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. club — for dancing
  3. wax — to grow
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. present — the time now
  6. fall — to drop
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — to fit
  9. present — a gift
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. present — there
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fall — the season
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bear — the animal
  24. temple — side of the head

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