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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: stand · wax · bore · lie · bear · pass · saw · dip

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — to recline
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bore — gave birth

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