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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wax — to grow
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rest — a break
  9. bound — obliged
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rest — what's left
  15. last — final
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. squash — to crush
  18. last — to go on
  19. squash — the sport
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. last — finally
  24. bound — certain

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