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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. scale — in music
  4. snap — to click
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — steady
  7. cue — for pool
  8. present — a gift
  9. key — in music
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wax — to grow
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cue — a hint
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cue — a signal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — the most important part

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