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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: wax · saw · pitch · race · plane · lean · charge · sharp

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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. charge — in control
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. plane — a tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lean — thin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lean — to bend
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — electricity
  12. sharp — clever
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. wax — to grow
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pitch — completely
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. charge — a price
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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