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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: board · wax · arm · spell · snap · bulb · firm · plane

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. snap — to click
  10. wax — to grow
  11. firm — decided
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. firm — a company
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bulb — for light
  18. board — a committee
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. firm — steady
  21. board — to get on
  22. spell — magic
  23. bulb — for light
  24. board — a flat piece

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