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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hand — in cards
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. band — a ring
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. key — in music
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. perch — the fish
  15. can — a tin
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wax — to grow
  22. can — a tin
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. can — to be able to

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