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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
468
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: board · swing · fall · straw · key · wax · leaves · bulb

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. key — for a lock
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wax — to grow
  5. fall — to drop
  6. key — in music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. board — to get on
  12. fall — the season
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — a committee
  16. fall — to drop
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. swing — music
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bulb — for light
  24. straw — a straw man

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