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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 120 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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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: prune · rest · rock · bay · racket · bore · pass · wax

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rest — what's left
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rest — a break
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. prune — to trim
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rock — music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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