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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 120 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: wax · game · wave · straw · firm · plane · bay · leaves

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. game — a match
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. game — wild animals
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. firm — a company
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. firm — steady
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. firm — decided
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. plane — an aircraft

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