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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.

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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: wax · key · temple · coach · kick · bay · craft · drill

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. craft — a skill
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. key — in music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. craft — boats
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. drill — army training
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. key — for a lock
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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