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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rock — music
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. key — in music
  12. toast — bread
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wax — to grow
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mate — a friend

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