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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · wave · straw · lie · bore · wax · coach · rock

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fine — all right
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — music
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fine — high quality
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wax — to grow
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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