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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: plane · spell · sharp · wave · bark · pitch · wax · patient

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. plane — a tool
  3. spell — letters
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. patient — a sick person

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