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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: roll · ground · key · suit · stick · lie · club · wax

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. wax — to grow
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. roll — a cake
  5. lie — to recline
  6. key — in music
  7. ground — a position
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. club — a group
  12. key — for a lock
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. key — the most important part
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — crushed
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. roll — a list
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. ground — the earth
  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