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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitch — completely
  5. club — a group
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. content — the amount
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bound — obliged
  10. content — happy
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bound — certain
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. saw — the tool
  17. club — for golf
  18. lean — thin
  19. bound — tied together
  20. club — for dancing
  21. lean — to bend
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. ruler — for measuring

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