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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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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: bay · can · spell · face · cue · roll · foot · wax

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — a list
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cue — a hint
  7. can — a tin
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. cue — a signal
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — to point toward
  14. spell — magic
  15. can — a tin
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. face — part of the head
  21. spell — a short time
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. spell — letters

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