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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pop — soda
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pop — to visit
  5. court — for sport
  6. rush — hurry
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bore — to tire
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pop — music
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. court — of law
  23. court — of a king
  24. bank — for money

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