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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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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: bowl · lash · staff · face · chip · plane · bay · wax

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. face — to confront
  6. staff — employees
  7. chip — for betting
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. staff — employees
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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