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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: spell · trunk · wax · lean · suit · key · face · wind

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. key — in music
  4. spell — a short time
  5. wind — moving air
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lean — thin
  8. spell — letters
  9. wind — moving air
  10. face — part of the head
  11. lean — to bend
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wax — to grow
  14. spell — magic
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. suit — clothes
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. face — to confront
  21. suit — to fit
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. key — for a lock
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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