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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rule — a law
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bore — to drill
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wake — a trail
  20. chest — a box
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wax — to grow

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