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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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 — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bound — certain
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. key — in music
  8. track — a song
  9. race — humankind
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. key — for a lock
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. track — a path
  17. key — the most important part
  18. race — the arms race
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. race — a contest
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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