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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bass — low music
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. capital — money
  9. key — in music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. suit — in cards
  21. capital — a city
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. key — the most important part

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