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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: stand · lash · bore · wound · date · bear · wax · track

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. track — a song
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bore — to tire
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wound — an injury
  24. track — a path

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