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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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. key — in music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. scale — in music
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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