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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mark — a trace
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. staff — employees
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. field — for sport
  11. key — in music
  12. staff — a stick
  13. club — for dancing
  14. staff — employees
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. field — a subject
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. field — farmland
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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