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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: rest · cabinet · fork · row · bore · club · wax · pit

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. row — a line
  4. club — for golf
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. row — to paddle
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pit — a hole
  17. club — a group
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. club — for dancing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rest — a break

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