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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 116 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: season · wax · scale · staff · mug · saw · plane · fan

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. season — in sport
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mug — to rob
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — the tool
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. scale — in music
  20. wax — to grow
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. saw — the tool
  23. season — of the year
  24. mug — a face

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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