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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.

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: plane · mug · lean · wax · perch · hide · vault · squash

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — a face
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mug — a cup
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. lean — thin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. squash — the sport
  14. plane — a tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mug — to rob
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wax — to grow
  21. squash — to crush
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. hide — animal skin

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