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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 120 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: file · dip · bound · march · plane · pit · wax · ball

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. file — a document
  3. plane — a tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. march — the month
  8. bound — certain
  9. pit — a hole
  10. file — a tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bound — obliged
  14. march — the month
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. ball — a dance
  21. dip — to sink
  22. march — music
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bound — tied together

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