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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bore — to drill
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cap — of ice
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mine — for digging
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bass — low music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bass — the instrument

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