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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. file — a tool
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — obliged
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. can — to be able to
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wax — to grow
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mate — a partner
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mate — a friend
  16. file — a line of people
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bound — certain
  20. file — a document
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. can — a tin

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