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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fall — to drop
  4. band — a music group
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fall — the season
  9. bore — to tire
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — to get on
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bear — the animal
  22. band — a ring
  23. bore — to drill
  24. board — a committee

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