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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: rock · hide · swing · prune · hand · wax · drill · mark

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mark — a trace
  9. prune — to trim
  10. hand — in cards
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. drill — army training
  14. rock — music
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. swing — in golf
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mark — a grade
  19. prune — to trim
  20. hand — help
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. drill — a practice
  24. hide — to keep secret

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