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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. board — a committee
  8. scale — size or range
  9. key — in music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. board — to get on
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wax — to grow
  16. key — for a lock
  17. scale — in music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. key — the most important part
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fine — high quality

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