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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pound — a weight
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. board — a committee
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. board — to get on
  14. can — a tin
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. lie — to recline
  19. band — a ring
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bound — obliged
  22. band — a music group
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wax — for sculpting

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