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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · content · plane · squash · wax · bay · ball · trunk

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. squash — the sport
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. plane — a tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. squash — to crush
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ball — a dance
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. object — an aim
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a great time
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. object — to protest
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. content — videos and posts

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