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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lean — thin
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bound — certain
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rock — music
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. chip — for betting
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rash — a series
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — obliged
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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