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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: wave · toast · pitcher · bank · straw · wax · bore · pass

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bore — to tire
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wax — to grow
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bore — to drill
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bank — for money
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wave — of the sea

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