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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. key — the most important part
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. press — a publisher
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. key — for a lock
  15. row — a line
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rock — music
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. band — a ring
  23. row — to paddle
  24. key — in music

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