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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: content · wax · ground · suit · face · key · swing · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bore — to drill
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ground — the earth
  6. face — to confront
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ground — a position
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. content — happy
  15. key — in music
  16. wax — to grow
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ground — crushed
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. swing — to play on
  24. content — the amount

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