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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
468
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: wax · face · stick · pitch · bore · bat · bound · drill

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bound — obliged
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. face — to confront
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. drill — a practice
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bound — certain
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bound — tied together

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