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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bore — to drill
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. club — for golf
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wax — to grow
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rash — a series
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. hide — to keep secret

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