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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: key · face · wax · cue · mine · rock · wound · firm

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. rock — music
  3. firm — decided
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. face — part of the head
  7. key — in music
  8. face — to confront
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. firm — a company
  14. key — for a lock
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wax — to grow
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mine — for digging
  22. firm — steady
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mine — an explosive

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