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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. board — to get on
  5. plane — a tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. bound — tied together
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. swing — to play on

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