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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: jam · saw · wax · coach · content · temple · plane · cabinet

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. content — the amount
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wax — to grow
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. saw — the tool
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. content — happy
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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