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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. key — for a lock
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pitch — completely
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. key — in music
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lean — thin
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. safe — a strongbox

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