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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 · bore · press · club · bound · nail · fall · coach

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. club — a group
  3. fall — the season
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bound — obliged
  7. press — a publisher
  8. club — for golf
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bound — certain
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bore — to tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. press — to push
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. club — for dancing
  24. wax — to grow

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