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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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · wind · bore · wax · suit · track · leaves · wave

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. track — to keep track
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. suit — to fit
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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