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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: court · fork · lean · bay · mark · wax · bore · cabinet

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. court — of a king
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. court — for sport
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. court — of law
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lean — thin
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fork — a garden tool

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