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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bore — to drill
  7. net — for catching
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. net — in sport
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. net — after costs
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bore — to tire
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pass — to succeed

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