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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 124 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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. net — for catching
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bear — the animal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — to get on
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. board — a committee
  18. bore — to tire
  19. net — in sport
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. net — after costs
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. dip — to dunk

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