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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 124 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. key — the most important part
  4. can — a tin
  5. swing — in golf
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. swing — music
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fork — in a road
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. key — for a lock
  19. can — a tin
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. swing — to play on
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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