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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. tear — from crying
  13. club — for golf
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bound — certain
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. club — a group
  23. lean — thin
  24. club — for dancing

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