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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bound — certain
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. charge — in control
  13. club — a group
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. charge — a price
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. perch — the fish
  19. club — for golf
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wax — to grow
  22. club — for dancing
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bass — low music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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