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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.

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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: roll · wax · plane · present · season · foot · key · jam

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. key — for a lock
  4. present — the time now
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. key — in music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. key — the most important part
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. present — a gift
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. season — of the year
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wax — to grow
  23. roll — a list
  24. season — in sport

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