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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bore — to tire
  4. spell — magic
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. race — the arms race
  7. track — a song
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. spell — letters
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. track — to keep track
  16. race — humankind
  17. bore — to drill
  18. track — a path
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mug — a face
  23. race — a contest
  24. swing — music

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