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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bore — to tire
  4. club — a group
  5. tear — to rip
  6. chair — a leader
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. club — for golf

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