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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. scale — size or range
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wax — to grow
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. swing — to play on
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. scale — in music
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. suit — in cards
  20. swing — music
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. dip — to sink
  24. suit — to fit

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