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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
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: object · cabinet · pitcher · wax · charge · plane · coach · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. object — an aim
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. wax — to grow
  13. press — a publisher
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. press — newspapers
  16. object — to protest
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wax — for sculpting

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