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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.

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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
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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: current · plane · dip · sharp · nail · pop · scale · wax

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. current — happening now
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. scale — in music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wax — to grow
  16. plane — a tool
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. current — electric
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pop — soda
  21. current — of water
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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