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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: face · plane · branch · rock · wax · coach · suit · racket

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. branch — a division
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. face — part of the head
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. wax — to grow
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. face — to confront
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rock — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. face — to point toward
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. plane — an aircraft

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