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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fork — in a road
  3. court — of law
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. court — for sport
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. court — of a king
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wax — to grow
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to click
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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