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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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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: mark · club · wave · rest · bore · bank · tear · wax

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. club — a group
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bank — for money
  11. club — for golf
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bank — for money
  18. wax — to grow
  19. tear — to rip
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bank — of a river
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. club — for dancing

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