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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. squash — to crush
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. degree — from a university
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. squash — the sport
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bore — to drill
  17. degree — temperature
  18. wax — to grow
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bore — to tire
  22. degree — an amount
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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