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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. key — in music
  4. bore — to drill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. root — of a plant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cap — of ice
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. stem — of a plant

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