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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bore — to tire
  4. march — the month
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. march — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — for digging
  15. march — the month
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rock — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bear — to put up with

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