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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bear — the animal
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pit — a hole
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cue — a hint
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bound — certain
  15. track — a path
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cue — for pool
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. cue — a signal
  22. track — a song
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bear — the animal

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