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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: rock · face · rash · key · saw · can · wax · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rash — hasty
  3. face — to confront
  4. can — a tin
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. can — to be able to
  9. face — to point toward
  10. can — a tin
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. deal — to handle
  14. key — for a lock
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — in music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rash — a series
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. key — the most important part

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