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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. last — finally
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wax — to grow
  8. last — final
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wake — a trail
  12. last — to go on
  13. band — a music group
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. band — a ring
  17. lean — thin
  18. dip — to sink
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lean — to rest against

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