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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.

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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: firm · spell · wax · wake · sharp · plane · race · mouse

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. firm — steady
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. spell — magic
  4. wax — to grow
  5. sharp — clever
  6. spell — a short time
  7. race — a contest
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. firm — a company
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. race — the arms race
  15. firm — decided
  16. wake — a trail
  17. race — humankind
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. plane — a tool
  21. spell — letters
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  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