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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
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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: wax · field · clip · nail · scale · bowl · plane · craft

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. field — for sport
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. scale — size or range
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. craft — boats
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. field — a subject
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. clip — a video
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. field — farmland
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. craft — a skill
  21. clip — for paper
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. scale — in music

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