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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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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: bore · firm · lash · ball · present · fall · wax · object

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fall — to drop
  4. firm — decided
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. present — a gift
  7. wax — to grow
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ball — a great time
  11. object — a thing
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bore — to tire
  14. firm — a company
  15. fall — the season
  16. firm — steady
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. object — an aim
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. present — there
  21. object — to protest
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. present — the time now

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