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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. fork — in a road
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. chair — a leader
  6. root — the cause
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bore — to tire
  11. race — a contest
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. root — of a word
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. race — humankind
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. root — of a plant
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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