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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. swing — music
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. swing — to play on
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. firm — a company
  8. pass — a permit
  9. land — a country
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ball — a great time
  13. swing — in golf
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. wax — to grow
  17. land — to come down
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. land — ground
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wax — for sculpting

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