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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · bark · mine · bay · wax · saw · mark · bore

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mine — for digging
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wax — to grow
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bore — to drill
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wax — for sculpting

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