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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: saw · pass · bore · wax · charge · pound · rock · straw

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. charge — in control
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bore — to drill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rock — music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bore — to tire
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — a price
  20. pound — a weight
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rock — a stone
  23. saw — the tool
  24. straw — a straw man

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