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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 120 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. hand — help
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hand — in cards
  13. game — a match
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. game — wild animals
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bound — tied together

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