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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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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. key — the most important part
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. key — in music
  8. bound — obliged
  9. can — a tin
  10. pop — soda
  11. wax — to grow
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pop — music
  23. can — a tin
  24. cabinet — ministers

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