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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: coach · saw · wax · pass · stick · plane · pop · content

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pop — music
  13. plane — a tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. content — the amount
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. content — happy
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. saw — the tool

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