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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: bore · last · rock · patient · wax · pop · lie · straw

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rock — a stone
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rock — music
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pop — soda
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. last — final
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. last — to go on
  15. last — finally
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bore — to tire
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pop — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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