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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mug — a face
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chip — for betting
  7. object — a thing
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ground — a position
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wax — to grow
  18. fall — the season
  19. object — an aim
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bore — to drill
  24. object — to protest

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