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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 · spell · pit · wax · squash · mug · leaves · net

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mug — a face
  6. net — after costs
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. squash — to crush
  9. net — in sport
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mug — to rob
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pit — in a race
  16. spell — a short time
  17. key — the most important part
  18. squash — the sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. pit — a hole
  21. spell — magic
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. wax — to grow
  24. squash — the vegetable

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