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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.

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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: saw · mug · wax · content · root · stock · plane · wake

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stock — shares
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. saw — the tool
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. root — the cause
  14. mug — a face
  15. wake — a trail
  16. saw — the tool
  17. content — the amount
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. content — happy
  21. mug — to rob
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stock — goods

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