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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. staff — employees
  3. season — of the year
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. can — a tin
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. track — a song
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — a path
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bore — to tire
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. season — in sport
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bore — to drill
  24. can — a tin

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