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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 · march · track · safe · last · squash · wax · stick

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — the month
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. track — a song
  22. march — music
  23. last — final
  24. safe — a strongbox

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