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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mine · rock · arm · chest · bank · bore · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rock — music
  6. mine — for digging
  7. chest — of your body
  8. saw — the tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bank — for money
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. chest — a box
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mine — belonging to me

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