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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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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: rash · wave · rest · key · foot · face · stick · wind

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. key — in music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. face — to confront
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. key — the most important part
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. face — part of the head
  14. wind — moving air
  15. key — for a lock
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. face — to point toward
  18. wind — moving air
  19. rash — hasty
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rash — a series

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