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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.

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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 · deal · hand · key · land · bore · tube · wound

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. tube — a container
  9. bore — to drill
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. land — ground
  12. deal — to handle
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — a country
  19. key — for a lock
  20. hand — help
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bore — gave birth
  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