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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — of law
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. court — for sport
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. key — in music
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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