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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mug — a face
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bore — to tire
  9. object — an aim
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bore — to drill
  12. land — to come down
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pitch — completely
  19. land — ground
  20. mug — a cup
  21. object — to protest
  22. land — a country
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. object — a thing

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