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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 120 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: key · temple · craft · pop · court · face · wax · ruler

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wax — to grow
  4. face — to confront
  5. craft — boats
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — for sport
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pop — soda
  10. face — part of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. court — of a king
  14. pop — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. face — to point toward
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. court — of law
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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