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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: calf · bank · vault · hand · jam · plane · sharp · wax

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — help
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bank — for money
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bank — of a river
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. vault — a safe
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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