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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bank — for money
  5. bound — certain
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. club — a group
  9. bound — obliged
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cell — a phone
  13. club — for dancing
  14. staff — employees
  15. present — the time now
  16. last — finally
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. club — for golf
  19. bank — for money
  20. present — a gift
  21. staff — employees
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cell — in biology

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