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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: key · toast · fine · jam · mate · sharp · face · lean

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fine — all right
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mate — to breed
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. toast — bread
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. lean — thin
  17. key — for a lock
  18. face — to confront
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. face — to point toward
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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