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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bore — to tire
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bore — to drill
  15. dip — to sink
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wax — to grow
  23. roll — a list
  24. wax — for sculpting

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