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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: swing · bore · rash · wake · straw · pass · object · wax

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. swing — in golf
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. swing — music
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. wax — to grow
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rash — a series
  14. wake — a trail
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bore — to drill
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. object — a thing

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