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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.

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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: land · mark · bay · bear · capital · wax · stick · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wax — to grow
  8. capital — a city
  9. bear — the animal
  10. land — to come down
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. land — a country
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. land — ground
  24. capital — money

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