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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: cap · bark · safe · squash · wax · fall · plane · rest

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rest — what's left
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cap — a hat
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rest — a break
  13. fall — the season
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fall — to drop
  20. squash — the sport
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. cap — a lid
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. safe — a strongbox

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