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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. dip — to sink
  3. file — a document
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. file — a tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. wax — to grow
  23. file — a line of people
  24. wax — for sculpting

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