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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bound — tied together
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bound — certain
  5. wax — to grow
  6. present — the time now
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. present — a gift
  9. club — for golf
  10. present — there
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pass — a permit
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. club — a group
  24. wax — in the ear

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