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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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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: lie · march · pit · safe · ground · bore · wax · fork

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wax — to grow
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ground — a position
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pit — in a race
  10. march — music
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. fork — in a road
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. march — the month

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