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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
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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: key · arm · wax · charge · face · lean · game · stand

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lean — thin
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. game — wild animals
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. game — a match
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. charge — in control
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wax — to grow
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. arm — part of the body

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