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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.

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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: plane · cap · spell · cabinet · lie · wax · march · fine

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. spell — magic
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. march — the month
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fine — all right
  9. march — music
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. spell — letters
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. march — the month
  16. cap — a hat
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spell — a short time
  23. lie — to recline
  24. fine — high quality

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