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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. key — the most important part
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — the month
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cold — an illness
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. march — music
  22. key — in music
  23. cold — not warm
  24. march — the month

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