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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.

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: key · spell · hide · ruler · racket · wax · net · face

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. face — to confront
  7. net — after costs
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. key — for a lock
  10. spell — magic
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. net — for catching
  14. wax — to grow
  15. key — the most important part
  16. spell — a short time
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. face — part of the head
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. key — in music
  21. face — to point toward
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spell — letters

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