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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: file · pop · leaves · plane · toast · wax · game · craft

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. plane — a tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. toast — bread
  8. file — a document
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. game — wild animals
  11. craft — boats
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pop — to visit
  15. wax — to grow
  16. file — a tool
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. craft — a skill
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. toast — the most admired

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