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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. key — the most important part
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. toast — bread
  8. present — the time now
  9. content — happy
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. content — the amount
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — there
  15. key — in music
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. present — a gift
  18. wax — to grow
  19. key — for a lock
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — the tool
  23. squash — the sport
  24. content — videos and posts

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