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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bear — the animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wax — to grow
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wound — an injury
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wax — in the ear

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