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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 120 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.

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: object · leaves · root · face · key · bass · march · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. key — in music
  3. object — an aim
  4. face — part of the head
  5. root — the cause
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. root — of a plant
  8. key — the most important part
  9. object — to protest
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. face — to confront
  12. ball — a dance
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bass — the fish
  15. object — a thing
  16. march — music
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. root — of a word
  19. face — to point toward
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. march — the month
  22. bass — low music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. march — the month

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