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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitch — completely
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mug — a face
  7. club — for golf
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. club — a group
  17. key — in music
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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