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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: wax · roll · mark · date · patient · swing · rush · key

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. swing — in golf
  8. key — for a lock
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. date — the fruit
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mark — a grade
  17. roll — a list
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rush — hurry
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. date — on the calendar

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