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

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wax — to grow
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wind — moving air
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lean — thin
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. key — for a lock
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. straw — a straw man

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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