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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bound — certain
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cap — a hat
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — to point toward
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bound — obliged
  24. face — to confront

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