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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 120 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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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 · stick · pit · wind · coach · fork · arm

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — in a race
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fork — in a road
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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