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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: squash · bore · root · wax · lash · saw · bound · fall

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wax — to grow
  4. fall — to drop
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fall — the season
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. fall — to drop
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. saw — the tool
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bound — obliged
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. root — of a plant
  24. squash — the vegetable

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