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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. key — in music
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wax — to grow
  15. key — for a lock
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. field — a subject
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — for sport

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