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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.

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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: face · key · pop · cap · tear · safe · mine · toast

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. face — part of the head
  5. tear — to rip
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. face — to confront
  9. cap — of ice
  10. face — to point toward
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. key — the most important part
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mine — for digging
  20. cap — a hat
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pop — music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pop — soda

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