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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bound — certain
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bark — to shout
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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