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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.

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: wax · plane · bank · mug · pass · fork · net · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. net — for catching
  4. bank — for money
  5. net — after costs
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mug — to rob
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. net — in sport
  17. bank — of a river
  18. plane — a tool
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. plane — an aircraft

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