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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 120 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: plane · press · patient · wax · mine · mate · spell · wound

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. press — to push
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wound — an injury
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. spell — letters
  12. mate — a friend
  13. wound — an injury
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. press — newspapers
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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