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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. ground — a position
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ground — crushed
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tear — to rip
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wax — to grow
  20. tear — from crying
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bore — to tire
  23. tear — from crying
  24. saw — the tool

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