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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. wax — in the ear
  2. suit — clothes
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bound — certain
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rule — government
  18. wax — to grow
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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