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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. drill — army training
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bear — the animal
  6. key — for a lock
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. chair — a leader
  14. wind — moving air
  15. craft — boats
  16. wax — to grow
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wind — moving air
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — with your hand

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