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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. dip — to sink
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. staff — employees
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bore — to drill
  17. squash — to crush
  18. staff — employees
  19. bound — certain
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bound — obliged
  22. squash — the sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pass — to spend time

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