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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mine — for digging
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mate — a friend
  8. club — for golf
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. club — a group
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bore — to drill
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. club — for dancing
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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