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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: plane · current · wax · can · bark · snap · toast · track

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. current — electric
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bark — to shout
  6. can — a tin
  7. toast — bread
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. track — a path
  10. plane — a tool
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wax — to grow
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. track — a song
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. snap — to click
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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