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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bound — certain
  3. band — a music group
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. staff — employees
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bound — tied together
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bank — for money
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bank — for money
  20. staff — employees
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. craft — boats
  23. band — a ring
  24. staff — a stick

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