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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: face · key · bulb · mark · rock · bass · fan · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. key — in music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rock — music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bulb — for light
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bass — low music
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rock — a stone
  22. face — to confront
  23. mark — a trace
  24. key — for a lock

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