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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bore — to drill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. chip — to eat
  7. court — of law
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mug — a face
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mug — to rob
  21. court — for sport
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pitcher — a jug

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