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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: plane · wax · suit · bay · trunk · lash · mine · can

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. can — a tin
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. can — a tin
  21. plane — a tool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wax — for sculpting

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