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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: lash · bore · track · wax · kid · mug · pitcher · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bore — to tire
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wax — to grow
  7. track — a song
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — a path
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kid — to tease
  17. mug — to rob
  18. track — to keep track
  19. kid — child
  20. mug — a face
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. lash — an eyelash

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