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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wax — to grow

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