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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rest — what's left
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bound — certain
  7. firm — decided
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — a company
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. content — the amount
  13. wax — to grow
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rest — a break
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. chest — of your body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lie — to recline
  22. firm — steady
  23. content — happy
  24. chest — a box

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