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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. rock — music
  10. wax — to grow
  11. mug — a cup
  12. tube — the underground
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. tube — a container
  16. mug — a face
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mug — to rob
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rock — a stone
  24. hand — help

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