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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bass — the fish
  3. present — there
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. drill — army training
  7. bass — low music
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. present — the time now
  10. drill — the tool
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — in sport
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. key — in music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. present — a gift
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. drill — a practice
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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