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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bore — to drill
  3. season — of the year
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mug — a cup
  7. scale — size or range
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. scale — in music
  12. wax — to grow
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mug — a face
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bore — to tire
  18. season — in sport
  19. tube — a container
  20. prune — to trim
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. prune — to trim

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