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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bore — to drill
  7. shower — to wash
  8. wax — to grow
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. last — to go on
  13. rock — a stone
  14. shower — rain
  15. last — finally
  16. rock — music
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. deal — to handle
  20. last — final
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bore — to tire

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