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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wax — to grow
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. cap — a hat
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mark — a grade
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. march — music
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cap — a lid
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wax — in the ear

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