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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. season — in sport
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wax — to grow
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. foot — a measure
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bound — certain
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. toast — bread
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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