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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: fine · plane · foot · last · wax · object · charge · patient

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. charge — in control
  3. last — final
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. charge — electricity
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. charge — a price
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. foot — a measure
  11. last — finally
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fine — all right
  16. plane — a tool
  17. last — to go on
  18. object — to protest
  19. fine — high quality
  20. object — an aim
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. object — a thing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. foot — part of the body

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