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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. field — for sport
  5. wax — to grow
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wound — an injury
  16. field — a subject
  17. rush — hurry
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. field — farmland
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cue — a signal

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