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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
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: wax · can · fine · face · present · club · shower · rest

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. present — the time now
  5. can — a tin
  6. fine — all right
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. club — for golf
  9. shower — rain
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rest — what's left
  14. club — for dancing
  15. present — a gift
  16. rest — a break
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. shower — to wash
  19. club — a group
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rest — what's left
  24. present — there

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