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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. suit — to fit
  4. key — the most important part
  5. suit — in cards
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. drill — army training
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — bread
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. drill — a practice
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. drill — the tool

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