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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wax — to grow
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. toast — bread
  11. club — for golf
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. club — a group
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. date — the fruit
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pass — a permit
  21. tear — from crying
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bore — to tire
  24. sharp — exactly

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