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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: wax · tear · saw · track · bear · press · bore · sharp

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bore — to tire
  8. press — to push
  9. track — a path
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. track — to keep track
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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