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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: key · kick · bound · scale · kid · wax · club · mug

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mug — a face
  4. club — for dancing
  5. mug — to rob
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mug — a cup
  10. club — a group
  11. kick — in football
  12. club — for golf
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bound — certain
  18. key — for a lock
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. kid — child
  21. wax — to grow
  22. key — in music
  23. bound — obliged
  24. kid — to tease

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