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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. capital — money
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. prune — to trim
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wax — to grow
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. capital — a city
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. snap — to click
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — a place of worship

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