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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · branch · safe · pitcher · wax · tear · wave · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. tear — to rip
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tear — from crying
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. drill — army training
  10. wax — to grow
  11. drill — a practice
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — to get on
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. board — a committee
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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