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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
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: plane · rock · lash · cabinet · chair · bore · wax · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bore — to drill
  11. plane — a tool
  12. season — in sport
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rock — music
  24. chair — to sit on

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