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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. key — in music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. key — for a lock
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rest — a break
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. roll — a list
  10. present — there
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. kick — in football
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. key — the most important part
  15. present — a gift
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wake — a trail
  24. roll — a cake

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