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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 116 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. key — for a lock
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bound — certain
  13. bank — of a river
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bound — tied together
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bank — for money
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wax — to grow

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