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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 120 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. game — a match
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. craft — boats
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. game — wild animals
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. game — a kind of play

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