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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bore — to drill
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — soda
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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