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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wax — to grow
  4. game — wild animals
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chair — a leader
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. current — electric
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — music
  13. current — of water
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. game — a match
  18. current — happening now
  19. bound — certain
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. chair — a professorship

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