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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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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: mark · cap · deal · chest · wax · safe · face · season

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. face — to point toward
  3. chest — of your body
  4. face — to confront
  5. mark — a trace
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chest — a box
  8. deal — to handle
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wax — to grow
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chest — of your body
  15. cap — a hat
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. season — in sport
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cap — of ice
  20. face — part of the head
  21. season — of the year
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cap — a lid

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