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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bound — obliged
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stock — shares
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mug — a face
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mug — to rob
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bound — certain
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stock — goods
  24. mug — a cup

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