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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 · dip · wax · spell · kick · pit · wound · mouse

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. dip — to sink
  5. spell — magic
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. spell — letters
  11. wound — an injury
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pit — in a race
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pit — a hole
  22. kick — in football
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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