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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wax — to grow
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bear — the animal
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ball — a great time
  17. degree — an amount
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. can — a tin
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bear — the animal

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