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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: wax · capital · wave · date · swing · coach · saw · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. swing — in golf
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. date — the fruit
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. capital — money
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. capital — a city
  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