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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
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: mate · wax · pass · racket · kick · key · wound · current

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. mate — to breed
  3. current — happening now
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wax — to grow
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wound — an injury
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. key — the most important part
  16. kick — in football
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pass — a permit
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. key — in music

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