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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: rule · wax · tear · pop · mark · coach · bay · key

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rule — a law
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — soda
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. key — in music
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pop — to visit
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tear — to rip
  20. key — for a lock
  21. tear — from crying
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wax — to grow
  24. key — the most important part

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