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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mug — a face
  4. bore — to tire
  5. file — a document
  6. mug — to rob
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — a list
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. content — happy
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mug — a cup
  19. club — for golf
  20. content — the amount
  21. wax — to grow
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. roll — on a roll

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