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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cue — for pool
  8. spell — magic
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hand — help
  15. spell — letters
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. club — a group
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. spell — a short time
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. club — for golf
  23. cue — a signal
  24. club — for dancing

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