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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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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 · nail · dip · pitcher · bore · fine · swing · fall

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. swing — in golf
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. swing — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fall — the season
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fall — to drop
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bore — to tire

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