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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bound — certain
  3. staff — employees
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bore — to tire
  12. object — an aim
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fall — the season
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wax — to grow
  21. object — to protest
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. staff — employees
  24. wax — in the ear

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