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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
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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: wake · fall · straw · wax · trunk · bore · bay · pop

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wake — a trail
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. wax — to grow
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pop — music
  14. fall — the season
  15. bore — to tire
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pop — to visit
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pop — soda
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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