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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 116 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 · fine · root · fall · nail · bowl · wax · lie

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. fine — all right
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. fall — the season
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — of a word
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lie — an untruth

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