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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.

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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: sharp · press · file · craft · key · lash · wax · staff

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. staff — employees
  2. wax — to grow
  3. file — a tool
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. file — a document
  6. key — for a lock
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. press — to push
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. press — a publisher
  11. file — a line of people
  12. craft — boats
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. key — in music
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. craft — a skill
  20. sharp — clever
  21. key — the most important part
  22. staff — employees
  23. lash — to lash out
  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