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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: bore · wax · pit · saw · track · fork · spell · dip

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pit — in a race
  3. track — to keep track
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a hole
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. track — a path
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. spell — letters
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. track — a song
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fork — in a road
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. dip — a sauce

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