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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. file — a tool
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bank — for money
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rock — music
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. file — a document
  24. nail — for a hammer

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