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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — certain
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bank — of a river
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bank — for money
  10. mate — a friend
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wax — to grow
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tube — a container
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bound — tied together

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