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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bank — for money
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bound — obliged
  7. spring — of water
  8. roll — a cake
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bound — tied together
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bank — of a river
  14. spring — the season
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bank — for money
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pit — in a race
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — certain

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