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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: prune · track · lean · craft · bore · wave · pass · wax

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bore — to tire
  7. track — a path
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lean — thin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. craft — boats
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. prune — to trim
  22. track — a song
  23. lean — to bend
  24. track — to keep track

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