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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wax — to grow
  7. swing — music
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. rush — hurry
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. swing — in golf
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. snap — to click
  23. lean — thin
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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