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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. staff — employees
  3. chest — a box
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. chest — of your body
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cap — a hat
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mug — a face
  17. staff — employees
  18. cap — of ice
  19. staff — a stick
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cap — a lid
  23. key — for a lock
  24. racket — for tennis

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