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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: lash · plane · pound · last · mug · wax · cap · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. last — to go on
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mug — a face
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cap — a lid
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mug — a cup
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cap — a hat
  21. plane — a tool
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. wax — in the ear

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