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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 · plane · foot · chip · leaves · bay · patient · fine

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. fine — all right
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. foot — a measure
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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