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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: staff · board · press · march · wax · fan · plane · mark

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. staff — employees
  3. march — the month
  4. mark — a grade
  5. press — to push
  6. staff — employees
  7. wax — to grow
  8. board — a committee
  9. press — a publisher
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. board — to get on
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. staff — a stick
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mark — a trace
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — a tool
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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