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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 124 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. press — a publisher
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bear — the animal
  8. club — a group
  9. press — to push
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bore — to drill
  16. press — newspapers
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bore — to tire
  19. tear — from crying
  20. club — for golf
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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