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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
468
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: plane · pitch · wax · pop · firm · clip · fork · shower

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. clip — a video
  4. firm — steady
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pop — soda
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. shower — rain
  12. firm — a company
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pop — music
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pop — to visit
  24. firm — decided

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