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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: wax · file · key · kick · ball · face · stock · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rock — a stone
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — goods
  9. file — a tool
  10. kick — in football
  11. ball — a dance
  12. face — to confront
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stock — shares
  15. file — a document
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rock — music
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. file — a line of people
  24. kick — a thrill

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