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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.

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 · ruler · spring · mine · mug · bore · bass · court

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bass — the fish
  4. court — of law
  5. mine — for digging
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. court — of a king
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mug — a face
  22. bass — low music
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. court — for sport

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