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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
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: cell · wax · prune · march · leaves · safe · rock · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. key — for a lock
  4. prune — to trim
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. key — the most important part
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — a phone
  15. march — the month
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — music
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rock — music
  22. cell — in biology
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. march — the month

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