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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bound — certain
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bound — obliged
  16. wax — to grow
  17. capital — a city
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. capital — money
  24. bound — tied together

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