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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. club — for dancing
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wax — to grow
  11. key — the most important part
  12. club — a group
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. key — in music
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. key — for a lock
  22. club — for golf
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ball — a dance

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