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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: root · deal · wax · sharp · chest · plane · content · craft

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. deal — to handle
  3. chest — of your body
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. root — the cause
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. chest — of your body
  10. craft — a skill
  11. root — of a word
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. sharp — clever
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. content — the amount
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. craft — boats
  21. root — of a plant
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. wax — to grow

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