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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: track · mate · current · wax · plane · land · firm · pitch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. land — a country
  5. firm — steady
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mate — a friend
  9. land — ground
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. land — to come down
  13. firm — decided
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. track — a path
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. firm — a company
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. current — electric

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