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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: bore · cell · face · net · wax · present · leaves · mouse

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. present — a gift
  3. net — for catching
  4. present — the time now
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. present — there
  15. net — in sport
  16. face — to confront
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bore — to drill
  21. face — to point toward
  22. net — after costs
  23. bore — to tire
  24. leaves — of a tree

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