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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. dip — to sink
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wax — to grow
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. branch — a division
  14. rock — music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rock — a stone
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. toast — bread
  20. bore — to drill
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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