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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. object — an aim
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wax — to grow
  10. face — part of the head
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. root — the cause
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. object — to protest
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. root — of a plant
  23. object — a thing
  24. root — of a word

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