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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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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: mouse · drill · bear · temple · foot · wax · cabinet · pit

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. drill — the tool
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pit — in a race
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bear — the animal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. drill — army training
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bear — to put up with

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