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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: rush · pass · wax · bark · bore · board · hand · hide

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bore — to drill
  15. board — to get on
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. board — a committee
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. hand — help
  21. bore — to tire
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rush — to hurry

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