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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.

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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: rash · row · drill · leaves · suit · swing · wax · key

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. drill — a practice
  4. key — in music
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. key — the most important part
  8. swing — to play on
  9. key — for a lock
  10. suit — in cards
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. swing — music
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wax — to grow
  17. suit — clothes
  18. row — a line
  19. suit — to fit
  20. row — to paddle
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — the tool

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