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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wound — an injury
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wax — to grow
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wound — an injury
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. mine — for digging
  23. face — to confront
  24. bowl — a dish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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