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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rule — government
  4. bound — obliged
  5. drill — army training
  6. track — a song
  7. drill — a practice
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wax — to grow
  10. staff — employees
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mate — a friend
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bound — certain
  15. staff — employees
  16. net — for catching
  17. track — a path
  18. staff — a stick
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mate — to breed
  21. net — after costs
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mate — a partner
  24. net — in sport

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