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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. roll — a cake
  6. wax — to grow
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a document
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. file — a tool
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bank — of a river
  15. degree — temperature
  16. roll — a list
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bank — for money
  20. staff — a stick
  21. degree — from a university
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bore — to tire

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