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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chest — a box
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wax — to grow
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pop — soda
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lean — to bend
  11. key — for a lock
  12. capital — a city
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. chest — of your body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. key — in music
  22. capital — money
  23. lean — thin
  24. capital — a big letter

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