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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — a tin
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bound — certain
  9. charge — a price
  10. wax — to grow
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. firm — decided
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bank — of a river
  20. can — a tin
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bank — for money
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. perch — for a bird

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