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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pass — a permit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cap — a hat
  6. chip — to eat
  7. object — to protest
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wax — to grow
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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