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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: stand · bark · wax · pit · rock · bore · stem · pitcher

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. wax — for sculpting
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rock — music
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. pit — in a race
  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