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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stock — goods
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stock — shares
  6. face — part of the head
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. current — happening now
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. face — to confront
  15. wax — to grow
  16. face — to point toward
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to drill
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bore — to tire

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