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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bass — low music
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stock — goods
  22. bass — the fish
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bore — to tire

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