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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. key — in music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bank — for money
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ruler — for measuring

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