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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. key — for a lock
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — humankind
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bound — obliged
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. key — in music
  14. race — the arms race
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wax — in the ear

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