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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 116 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. track — a path
  4. dip — to sink
  5. board — to get on
  6. bound — tied together
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. board — a committee
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bound — certain
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. track — a song
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wax — to grow
  21. fork — in a road
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bound — obliged

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