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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. key — the most important part
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — an aim
  7. key — in music
  8. object — a thing
  9. key — for a lock
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wake — a trail
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. object — to protest
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. nail — on a finger

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