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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · key · fork · sharp · lean · coach · scale · chest

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. scale — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fork — in a road
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lean — thin
  15. scale — size or range
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — a box
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chest — of your body
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. fork — a garden tool

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