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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.

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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. court — of law
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wax — to grow
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pass — a permit
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. charge — a price
  16. spring — the season
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bore — to drill
  21. spring — of water
  22. bore — to tire
  23. charge — in control
  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