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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rock — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. charge — in control
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rest — a break
  9. charge — a price
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rash — a series
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rush — hurry
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rock — to move gently

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