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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.

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: key · bat · safe · bass · root · lean · face · wax

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lean — to bend
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. root — of a plant
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wax — to grow
  16. root — of a word
  17. lean — thin
  18. key — in music
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bat — the animal
  21. face — to point toward
  22. key — the most important part
  23. face — to confront
  24. root — the cause

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