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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. key — the most important part
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. march — the month
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. drill — a practice
  13. key — for a lock
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. march — the month
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. march — music
  18. key — in music
  19. drill — the tool
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. stand — to bear
  22. drill — army training
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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