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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: lean · current · swing · plane · bound · bowl · sharp · wax

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — to play on
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. current — electric
  11. lean — thin
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bound — certain
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lean — to bend
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. swing — music
  20. current — happening now
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. current — of water
  23. bound — obliged
  24. wax — to grow

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