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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: track · wax · squash · rush · plane · craft · object · hide

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. track — a path
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. track — to keep track
  8. squash — the sport
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. object — to protest
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. object — a thing
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rush — hurry
  20. object — an aim
  21. track — a song
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. craft — boats

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