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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 120 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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rash — hasty
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bore — to tire
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rash — a series
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bore — to drill
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mouse — the animal

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