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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bound — tied together
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. key — in music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — certain
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. dip — to sink
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bound — obliged
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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