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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. object — to protest
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. track — to keep track
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stand — to bear
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. track — a song
  10. bore — to drill
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. face — to point toward
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bore — to tire
  16. object — an aim
  17. track — a path
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pop — to visit
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pop — music
  22. face — to confront
  23. wax — to grow
  24. object — a thing

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