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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 120 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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bore — to drill
  6. swing — music
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wax — to grow
  9. swing — in golf
  10. track — a song
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bore — to tire
  19. track — a path
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cap — a lid
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cap — of ice

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