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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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bore — to drill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. can — a tin
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — thin
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wax — to grow
  23. mine — for digging
  24. ball — a dance

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