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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: foot · safe · bowl · can · wax · land · face · court

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. court — of a king
  4. land — to come down
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. can — a tin
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. court — for sport
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wax — to grow
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — a tin
  17. foot — a measure
  18. can — to be able to
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. court — of law
  21. land — ground
  22. face — to confront
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. land — a country

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