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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · row · suit · mug · nail · bore · wax · fine

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mug — a cup
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ground — the earth
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. suit — in cards
  8. row — a line
  9. wax — to grow
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bore — to tire
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ground — a position
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bore — to drill
  23. row — to paddle
  24. nail — on a finger

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