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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: can · last · saw · bore · toast · stem · wax · patient

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. can — a tin
  7. bore — to drill
  8. last — finally
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. last — final
  17. stem — to come from
  18. toast — bread
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. can — a tin
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. last — to go on

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