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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.

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: bay · spell · board · key · wax · face · pitch · bulb

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. face — to confront
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. board — to get on
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wax — to grow
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. key — for a lock
  16. spell — letters
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. face — part of the head
  20. board — a committee
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. face — to point toward
  24. spell — magic

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