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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. date — the fruit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bound — certain
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wind — moving air
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. tube — a container
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. tube — the underground

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