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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. stand — to bear
  3. scale — in music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wax — to grow
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bound — certain
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. sharp — clever
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bound — obliged
  17. drill — the tool
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. scale — size or range
  21. drill — army training
  22. mug — a face
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. sharp — exactly

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