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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. key — for a lock
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. tube — a container
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. wax — to grow
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. key — in music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mug — to rob
  21. tube — the underground
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — the most important part
  24. cell — a phone

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