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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pit — in a race
  4. board — to get on
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bore — to tire
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. key — in music
  12. wax — to grow
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. tear — to rip
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. can — a tin

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