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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wax — to grow
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. saw — the tool
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kick — in football
  24. fan — a supporter

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