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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.

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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: plane · coach · pound · cabinet · wax · bank · mark · land

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. land — a country
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. land — ground
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bank — for money
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wax — to grow
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. land — to come down

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