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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wax — to grow
  4. scale — in music
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. shower — rain
  8. net — after costs
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. net — in sport
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mug — a face
  15. shower — to wash
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mug — a cup
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. mug — to rob
  23. band — a music group
  24. stem — to come from

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