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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bound — certain
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — bread
  16. bound — tied together
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — to tease
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. wax — to grow
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. kid — child
  24. mouse — the animal

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