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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · bore · present · wax · rush · mouse · key · chest

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. deal — to handle
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. present — a gift
  7. chest — of your body
  8. key — in music
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rush — hurry
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. chest — a box
  21. present — there
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. present — the time now
  24. mouse — the animal

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