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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bore — to tire
  4. court — of a king
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bound — tied together
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bound — certain
  11. court — for sport
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bound — obliged
  20. vault — a safe
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. court — of law
  24. chip — to eat

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