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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wax — to grow
  4. firm — a company
  5. pit — a hole
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. club — a group
  8. content — the amount
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bound — certain
  12. firm — decided
  13. club — for dancing
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. club — for golf
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. content — happy
  21. firm — steady
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bound — obliged
  24. kick — in football

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