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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. key — the most important part
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — in cards
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bass — low music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wax — to grow
  12. board — a committee
  13. spell — a short time
  14. net — for catching
  15. suit — to fit
  16. spell — letters
  17. board — to get on
  18. net — after costs
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. net — in sport
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spell — magic
  23. bass — the fish
  24. wax — in the ear

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