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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: net · squash · key · lie · stick · wax · patient · drill

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. key — in music
  4. drill — a practice
  5. net — for catching
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. squash — to crush
  11. key — the most important part
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. drill — army training
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. squash — the sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. key — for a lock
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wax — to grow
  24. net — in sport

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