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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wind — moving air
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ground — the earth
  6. object — a thing
  7. ground — a position
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. object — an aim
  17. wind — moving air
  18. object — to protest
  19. vault — a safe
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. chair — a leader
  24. ground — crushed

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