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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · staff · wax · racket · date · chest · key · nail

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wax — to grow
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chest — a box
  8. object — an aim
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. object — to protest
  12. chest — of your body
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. key — the most important part
  16. object — a thing
  17. chest — of your body
  18. key — for a lock
  19. staff — employees
  20. date — the fruit
  21. key — in music
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wax — in the ear

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