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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
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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: wax · shower · stick · key · mine · coach · race · bore

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. key — the most important part
  5. race — humankind
  6. bore — to drill
  7. key — in music
  8. race — a contest
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. shower — to wash
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. mine — for digging
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. shower — rain

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