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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 116 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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bore — to tire
  3. game — wild animals
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mark — a grade
  10. kick — in football
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. game — a match
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bowl — a football final

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