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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.

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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. scale — in music
  3. drill — the tool
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. drill — army training
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. drill — a practice
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ground — a position
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. key — in music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. key — the most important part
  24. scale — size or range

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