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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 120 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: foot · cold · object · coach · wax · fan · key · cap

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cap — a hat
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. key — in music
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. key — the most important part
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. object — a thing
  13. cold — an illness
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cap — of ice
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wax — to grow
  21. cap — a lid
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. coach — a trainer

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