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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.

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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. key — in music
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bear — the animal
  6. key — for a lock
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. band — a music group
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cap — a lid
  16. band — a ring
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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