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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.

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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: pass · key · board · rush · wax · suit · wind · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. pass — to succeed
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. key — for a lock
  7. board — to get on
  8. key — the most important part
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pass — a permit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. suit — to fit
  18. key — in music
  19. wind — moving air
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  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