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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
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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: ball · wax · saw · arm · plane · mug · scale · toast

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. saw — the tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. scale — in music
  9. saw — the tool
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. mug — to rob
  12. toast — bread
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mug — a cup
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. scale — size or range
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mug — a face
  22. plane — a tool
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wax — to grow

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