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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bat — the animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rest — a break
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. suit — to fit

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