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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. charge — a price
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wax — to grow
  5. charge — in control
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. charge — electricity
  11. board — to get on
  12. rock — music
  13. fall — to drop
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bound — certain
  19. fall — the season
  20. board — a committee
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fall — to drop

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