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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 116 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: staff · plane · spell · hide · wax · bound · face · wind

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. face — part of the head
  5. spell — a short time
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. face — to confront
  8. staff — a stick
  9. spell — letters
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bound — obliged
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wax — to grow
  18. spell — magic
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. face — to point toward
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. staff — employees
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bound — certain

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