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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.

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: prune · wax · foot · race · fan · key · charge · safe

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. charge — a price
  4. wax — to grow
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. race — humankind
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. race — the arms race
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — in control
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. prune — to trim
  18. foot — a measure
  19. race — a contest
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — electricity
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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