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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mine — for digging
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bank — for money
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — boats
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill

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