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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fine — all right
  9. pop — soda
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pop — music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. branch — a division
  16. tube — a container
  17. pop — to visit
  18. tube — the underground
  19. key — the most important part
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. key — in music
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wax — for sculpting

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