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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: wax · plane · board · chair · pitch · nail · ruler · mug

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mug — to rob
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mug — a face
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. board — to get on
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mug — a cup
  14. board — a committee
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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