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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
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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: face · branch · hide · fan · nail · pass · pit · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. face — to point toward
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. branch — a division
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pit — a hole
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — a permit
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. face — to confront

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