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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wax — to grow
  5. spring — the season
  6. key — in music
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rash — a series
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lean — thin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rash — hasty
  24. spring — of water

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