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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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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: swing · wax · key · deal · rash · lean · temple · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. lean — thin
  3. rash — a series
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rash — hasty
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wax — to grow
  13. key — for a lock
  14. cap — of ice
  15. deal — to handle
  16. key — in music
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. deal — a big deal

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