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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. craft — boats
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wax — to grow
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to click
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cap — a hat
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. craft — a skill

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