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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: wax · drill · mouse · plane · wave · stock · stand · wind

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. stock — shares
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. drill — army training
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stock — goods
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wave — of the sea
  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