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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wax — to grow
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bound — obliged
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bound — tied together
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — a break
  12. bound — certain
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. saw — the tool
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. sharp — clever

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