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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bore — to tire
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cue — a hint
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. spell — a short time
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wax — to grow
  15. spell — letters
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lean — thin
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cue — a signal
  23. key — in music
  24. spell — magic

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