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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. chair — a leader
  4. mate — a friend
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bound — obliged
  8. deal — to handle
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mate — a partner
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bound — certain
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mate — to breed
  19. rock — music
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wax — to grow

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