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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: stick · spring · deal · board · wax · club · lean · plane

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. club — for dancing
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — to bend
  8. board — a committee
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. club — for golf
  11. spring — a coil
  12. club — a group
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. board — to get on
  18. spring — of water
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wax — to grow
  23. lean — thin
  24. deal — an agreement

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