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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 116 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: wax · craft · band · plane · capital · drill · can · key

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wax — to grow
  3. key — the most important part
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. drill — army training
  6. band — a ring
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. craft — a skill
  9. capital — money
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. key — in music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. band — a music group
  16. key — for a lock
  17. craft — boats
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. drill — a practice
  22. capital — a city
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. can — to be able to

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