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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.

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 · hide · pitcher · bore · land · saw · leaves · coach

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. land — to come down

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