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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. foot — a measure
  5. club — a group
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. season — of the year
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. club — for golf
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. club — for dancing
  17. game — wild animals
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. season — in sport
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. game — a match

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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