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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.

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
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: leaves · spell · key · lie · rest · wax · drill · cue

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. drill — army training
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wax — to grow
  8. spell — magic
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. drill — a practice
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. spell — a short time
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. key — in music
  18. spell — letters
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rest — a break
  21. key — the most important part
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. key — for a lock

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