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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. march — the month
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. march — music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. face — to confront
  14. chip — for betting
  15. face — part of the head
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. march — the month
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chip — to eat
  24. temple — side of the head

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