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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: pass · leaves · file · wax · staff · board · face · spring

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. file — a document
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. file — a line of people
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. face — to confront
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. staff — a stick
  11. spring — a coil
  12. staff — employees
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. file — a tool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pass — a permit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. face — part of the head
  22. spring — the season
  23. staff — employees
  24. spring — of water

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