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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bound — tied together
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bound — obliged
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. club — for dancing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. face — to confront
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wax — to grow

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