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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.

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: march · rash · mark · track · fork · wax · key · face

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mark — a grade
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. march — music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. key — the most important part
  13. track — to keep track
  14. march — the month
  15. key — in music
  16. track — a song
  17. rash — hasty
  18. face — to confront
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rash — a series
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. march — the month
  24. track — a path

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