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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: wax · plane · fan · stock · craft · nail · wind · trunk

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. craft — boats
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wind — moving air
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wax — to grow
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wind — moving air
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wind — to turn a key

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