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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wax — to grow
  6. pop — to visit
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pop — soda
  13. key — in music
  14. spell — letters
  15. bark — to shout
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pop — music
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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