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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wax — to grow
  6. squash — to crush
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. rock — music
  11. mark — a grade
  12. swing — music
  13. mark — a trace
  14. capital — a city
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. key — for a lock
  17. squash — the sport
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stand — to bear
  21. swing — to play on
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. capital — money

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