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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.

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: file · chest · perch · plane · charge · board · wax · mark

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. file — a tool
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. board — to get on
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mark — a trace
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. perch — the fish
  13. chest — a box
  14. file — a document
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. wax — to grow
  18. charge — a price
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. file — a line of people
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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