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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.

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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: pop · court · charge · can · wax · field · pitch · plane

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. charge — in control
  5. wax — to grow
  6. charge — a price
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pop — to visit
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of a king
  11. pop — soda
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. field — a subject
  15. can — a tin
  16. field — for sport
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. field — farmland
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pop — music
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wax — in the ear

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