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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bound — certain
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. last — finally
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bound — tied together
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. can — a tin
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mark — a grade
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. last — to go on
  16. wax — to grow
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. last — final
  19. board — to get on
  20. game — a match
  21. mark — a trace
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. board — a committee

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