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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pitch — completely
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. toast — bread
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lie — to recline
  13. season — in sport
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. season — of the year
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. patient — a sick person

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