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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.

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: rule · wake · fine · face · wax · kick · staff · roll

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rule — government
  3. staff — employees
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fine — all right
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. roll — a list
  9. fine — high quality
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rule — a law
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. kick — in football
  19. staff — employees
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. kick — a thrill

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