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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.

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: pitcher · arm · wax · hide · bore · pass · net · cue

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bore — to drill
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bore — to tire
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — a permit
  15. net — in sport
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. net — after costs
  20. cue — for pool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. net — for catching
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pass — to succeed

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