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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: ruler · pit · current · wave · wax · plane · capital · date

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pit — in a race
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a city
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. current — electric
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. current — happening now
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. plane — a tool
  19. current — of water
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wax — to grow
  24. ruler — for measuring

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