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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: wax · fine · capital · hide · plane · fan · chip · mark

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — money
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wax — to grow
  19. chip — for betting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fine — all right
  24. hide — to keep secret

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