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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 120 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bore — to drill
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. lie — to recline
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. squash — the sport
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. deal — to handle
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. court — of law
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. court — for sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. court — of a king

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