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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 120 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: scale · suit · pitcher · coach · plane · chair · nail · wax

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chair — a leader
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. scale — in music
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. suit — in cards
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wax — to grow
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pitcher — a jug

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