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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 · safe · plane · jam · leaves · wound · saw · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. saw — the tool
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wax — to grow
  13. board — to get on
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. plane — a tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. safe — a strongbox

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