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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. dip — to sink
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — of a river
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — a series
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bank — for money
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wax — to grow
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bore — to tire

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