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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 116 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: key · plane · firm · pitch · wax · mouse · prune · patient

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. key — the most important part
  5. firm — decided
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. firm — a company
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. prune — to trim
  16. firm — steady
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pitch — completely
  23. plane — a tool
  24. key — in music

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