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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: date · wave · stem · content · plane · roll · ball · wax

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stem — to come from
  5. roll — a cake
  6. ball — a great time
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. content — happy
  9. plane — a tool
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. roll — a list
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. content — the amount
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wax — in the ear

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