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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: toast · wax · stand · dip · bore · present · court · straw

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stand — to bear
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. present — a gift
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. present — there
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bore — to tire
  15. court — for sport
  16. bore — to drill
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — of law
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. toast — bread
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. present — the time now
  24. wax — in the ear

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