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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. swing — music
  3. object — to protest
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. toast — bread
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wound — an injury
  15. object — a thing
  16. staff — a stick
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. object — an aim
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wound — an injury

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