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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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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. club — for golf
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. key — for a lock
  7. present — a gift
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. club — a group
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. key — in music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. club — for dancing
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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