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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. firm — a company
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. tube — a container
  10. mark — a trace
  11. firm — decided
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bound — certain
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — steady
  19. ground — a position
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bound — obliged
  24. tube — in a tire

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