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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 120 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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wound — an injury
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. cell — in biology
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — a phone
  10. march — the month
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fine — high quality
  14. march — the month
  15. can — a tin
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — for a lock
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fine — all right
  22. march — music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fine — a penalty

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