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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. firm — a company
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bore — to drill
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rash — a series
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pass — a permit
  12. scale — in music
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. firm — steady
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. rash — hasty
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. row — to paddle
  20. wax — to grow
  21. firm — decided
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bore — to tire
  24. row — a line

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