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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. swing — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. key — in music
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — for a lock
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. swing — to play on
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pitcher — a jug

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