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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bound — certain
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bound — obliged
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. last — finally
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. last — to go on
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. last — final
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. hide — animal skin

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