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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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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. content — the amount
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bound — certain
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. content — happy
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rule — government
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bound — obliged
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. rule — a law

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