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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: mouse · wax · bore · toast · arm · wind · plane · bear

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bear — the animal
  4. toast — bread
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bear — the animal
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wind — moving air
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. wind — to turn a key

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