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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.

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 · suit · pop · fine · wind · ball · straw · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. key — for a lock
  3. face — to confront
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. key — in music
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pop — music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wind — moving air
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fine — high quality
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. suit — clothes
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. face — to point toward
  20. wind — moving air
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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