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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cap — a lid
  4. key — in music
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. march — the month
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. cap — of ice
  12. key — the most important part
  13. march — music
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. march — the month
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pit — in a race
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pass — a permit

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