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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · dip · plane · wax · pitch · lash · pitcher · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wax — to grow
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. dip — to sink
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — an eyelash

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