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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
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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: snap · coach · saw · wax · pass · cap · bore · plane

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cap — of ice
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pass — a permit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bore — to tire
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to click
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bore — to drill
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wax — for sculpting

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