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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. charge — a price
  3. lean — thin
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bank — for money
  6. degree — temperature
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lean — to bend
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bound — certain
  19. bank — for money
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wax — in the ear

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