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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 120 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: bore · stand · cap · clip · wake · wax · bear · safe

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. cap — a lid
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wax — to grow
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wake — a trail
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. cap — of ice
  21. clip — a video
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a hat

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