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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fall — to drop
  4. charge — a price
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bound — certain
  7. charge — in control
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. content — the amount
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fall — the season
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bound — tied together
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. content — happy
  20. tube — a container
  21. bound — obliged
  22. charge — electricity
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. tube — the underground

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