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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. wax — to grow
  4. key — in music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. suit — to fit
  8. track — to keep track
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. row — a line
  12. track — a path
  13. row — to paddle
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. key — the most important part
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. track — a song
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. charge — a price

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