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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: wax · net · plane · toast · face · mate · staff · bay

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — after costs
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mate — to breed
  6. net — for catching
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. face — to confront
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mate — a friend
  17. net — in sport
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. staff — employees
  21. wax — to grow
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. bay — a horse colour

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