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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: wax · hand · march · bore · stick · firm · lie · perch

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. hand — help
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. march — the month
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. march — the month
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. firm — steady
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. march — music
  19. firm — a company
  20. bore — to tire
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. firm — decided
  24. bore — gave birth

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