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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. key — the most important part
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cap — of ice
  7. board — a committee
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rock — music
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cap — a hat
  13. key — in music
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cap — a lid
  18. plane — a tool
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rock — a stone
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wax — to grow
  24. board — to get on

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