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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: plane · mug · staff · nail · fork · fine · wax · track

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mug — to rob
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. track — a song
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mug — a face
  12. wax — to grow
  13. staff — a stick
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mug — a cup
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fine — all right
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — a path
  20. fork — in a road
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wax — in the ear

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