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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wax — to grow
  10. suit — in cards
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bank — for money
  13. mark — a grade
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wound — an injury
  16. suit — clothes
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mark — a trace
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. temple — a place of worship

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