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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. drill — army training
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wax — to grow
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. club — a group
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chair — a leader
  15. drill — a practice
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. club — for dancing
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. club — for golf
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

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