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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
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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: mouse · face · lie · saw · rush · wax · bass · key

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. face — to point toward
  8. wax — to grow
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bass — low music
  15. key — in music
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — the fish
  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