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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. drill — a practice
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wax — to grow
  7. hand — in cards
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. saw — the tool
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. spell — letters
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. spell — magic
  15. hand — help
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. key — in music
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. key — the most important part
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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