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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bulb — for light
  6. net — for catching
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rule — government
  9. net — in sport
  10. rule — a law
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. net — after costs
  17. bore — to tire
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. wax — in the ear

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