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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.

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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: fork · root · hide · plane · wax · present · face · board

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. face — to confront
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. root — the cause
  7. plane — a tool
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wax — to grow
  10. board — a committee
  11. present — a gift
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. present — the time now
  17. face — part of the head
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. present — there
  22. root — of a word
  23. face — to point toward
  24. board — to get on

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