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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: wax · content · mug · safe · cap · coach · mine · face

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mug — a cup
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mug — a face
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cap — a lid
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wax — to grow
  14. face — part of the head
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mine — for digging
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — the amount
  20. mug — to rob
  21. content — happy
  22. face — to confront
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — of ice

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