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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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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: pit · key · snap · mouse · wax · straw · root · safe

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. root — the cause
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pit — in a race
  6. key — for a lock
  7. root — of a word
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — a hole
  10. root — of a plant
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. snap — to click
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — in music
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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