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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bore — to tire
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wax — to grow
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. toast — bread
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lie — to recline
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a skill
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. squash — the sport
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. mine — for digging
  22. craft — boats
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wax — in the ear

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