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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chip — for betting
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. wax — to grow
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — for digging

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