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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.

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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: staff · swing · mark · wax · land · bore · fork · bank

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. staff — employees
  8. land — a country
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bank — of a river
  12. swing — music
  13. land — to come down
  14. staff — a stick
  15. land — ground
  16. bank — for money
  17. mark — a grade
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bank — for money
  24. wax — for sculpting

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