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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.

Make a worksheet

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: capital · straw · face · pitch · lean · plane · nail · wax

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. plane — a tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. lean — thin
  14. face — to confront
  15. wax — to grow
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. capital — money
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. capital — a city

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