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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. charge — a price
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. spell — magic
  8. key — the most important part
  9. degree — temperature
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. charge — in control
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. degree — an amount
  18. key — in music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. key — for a lock
  21. spell — letters
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wax — to grow
  24. degree — from a university

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