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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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Word bank
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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bass — low music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. roll — a list
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bound — tied together
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fine — all right
  22. roll — a cake
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. arm — a part of something

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