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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: wax · arm · ruler · foot · staff · bat · track · plane

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. track — a song
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bat — the animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. track — a path
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. wax — to grow
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. staff — a stick

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