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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rock — a stone
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. game — a match
  8. bore — to drill
  9. track — to keep track
  10. game — wild animals
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rock — music
  23. wax — to grow
  24. track — a song

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