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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.

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: fine · key · date · track · pass · wax · stick · face

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — high quality
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. date — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. key — in music
  8. wax — to grow
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — for a lock
  16. track — a song
  17. key — the most important part
  18. face — to confront
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. face — part of the head
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wax — in the ear

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