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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wax — to grow
  6. current — of water
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stem — to come from
  10. craft — boats
  11. lie — to recline
  12. craft — a skill
  13. current — happening now
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. current — electric
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. vault — a safe
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wax — for sculpting

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