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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. kid — child
  3. court — of a king
  4. face — part of the head
  5. court — of law
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — to point toward
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bound — obliged
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. court — for sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. bound — certain
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. kick — in football
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bank — for money
  24. wax — to grow

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