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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · pass · face · mouse · calf · track · key · scale

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. track — a path
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. face — to confront
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. track — to keep track
  10. key — in music
  11. track — a song
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. content — the amount
  14. scale — in music
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mouse — the animal

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