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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: root · wake · wax · plane · current · field · bay · file

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. file — a line of people
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. root — the cause
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wake — a trail
  7. field — farmland
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. file — a document
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. field — a subject
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. field — for sport
  19. plane — a tool
  20. current — of water
  21. file — a tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. root — of a word

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