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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: roll · file · plane · wax · mate · row · foot · fork

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. file — a document
  3. row — to paddle
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. row — a line
  7. mate — a partner
  8. file — a tool
  9. wax — to grow
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mate — a friend
  17. foot — a measure
  18. plane — a tool
  19. roll — a list
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. file — a line of people
  24. foot — part of the body

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