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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wax · bore · bat · hide · suit · temple · cabinet · content

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. content — happy
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. content — the amount
  24. bat — for baseball

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