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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: straw · ground · plane · press · cap · object · wax · trunk

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ground — crushed
  4. wax — to grow
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. press — newspapers
  11. object — a thing
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. object — to protest
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ground — the earth
  21. object — an aim
  22. cap — a hat
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. wax — for sculpting

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