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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bore — to tire
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wax — to grow
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. toast — bread
  19. ground — a position
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bass — low music
  23. pit — in a race
  24. toast — the most admired

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