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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. club — a group
  3. degree — temperature
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. key — the most important part
  8. squash — to crush
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. degree — from a university
  15. key — for a lock
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wax — to grow
  18. degree — an amount
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. club — for dancing
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. club — for golf

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