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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: wax · suit · face · plane · trunk · pitch · prune · staff

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. face — to confront
  6. suit — in cards
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. suit — clothes
  10. prune — to trim
  11. staff — employees
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pitch — completely
  15. staff — a stick
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wax — to grow
  22. suit — to fit
  23. staff — employees
  24. plane — in geometry

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