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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: fine · mark · plane · fall · wax · branch · staff · craft

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fall — the season
  3. staff — employees
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mark — a trace
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. staff — employees
  17. branch — a division
  18. craft — a skill
  19. wax — to grow
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fine — all right
  23. staff — a stick
  24. branch — of a tree

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