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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. present — there
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bank — for money
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — to get on
  9. tear — from crying
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. present — the time now
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. present — a gift
  19. bank — for money
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. board — a committee
  24. tear — to rip

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