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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: staff · bulb · march · perch · key · wax · pitch · swing

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. staff — employees
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — in music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bulb — for light
  8. march — the month
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wax — to grow
  14. staff — employees
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. swing — to play on
  19. key — for a lock
  20. swing — music
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. key — the most important part
  24. staff — a stick

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