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

Word bank: cabinet · wax · deal · row · bay · bore · ground · perch

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. row — to paddle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ground — the earth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bore — to tire
  8. ground — a position
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ground — crushed
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. row — a line
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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