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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: wax · row · plane · bay · straw · net · press · land

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. land — a country
  4. press — newspapers
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. land — to come down
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. net — in sport
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. net — after costs
  12. plane — a tool
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. land — ground
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. row — a line
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. net — for catching
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. plane — an aircraft

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