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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: plane · wind · firm · prune · cue · net · wax · toast

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wax — to grow
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cue — for pool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. firm — decided
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. net — for catching
  9. firm — steady
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. firm — a company
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wind — moving air
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. net — in sport
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. cue — a hint
  21. net — after costs
  22. toast — bread
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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