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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bound — obliged
  3. spell — magic
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bound — tied together
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. foot — a measure
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rash — a series
  16. spell — letters
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bound — certain
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. foot — the bottom

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