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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rock — music
  12. bound — certain
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wax — to grow
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rock — a stone

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