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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.

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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: pitch · race · saw · current · fan · wax · plane · coach

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. current — electric
  7. race — a contest
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. current — happening now
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. current — of water
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wax — to grow
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. saw — the tool

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