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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — for money
  3. rule — government
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bound — certain
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bank — for money
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rule — a law

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