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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 124 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 help me carry this box?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bear — the animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bore — to drill
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — to tire
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. can — a tin
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. face — to point toward
  15. can — a tin
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bass — low music
  21. face — to confront
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wax — to grow

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