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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. toast — bread
  9. current — electric
  10. bore — to tire
  11. sharp — clever
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. current — happening now
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. stem — to come from
  22. current — of water
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. sharp — exactly

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