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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 116 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: key · mark · wax · vault · squash · scale · bat · mate

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mark — a grade
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mate — a friend
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. scale — in music
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wax — to grow
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bat — the animal
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. squash — to crush
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wax — in the ear

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