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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bound — obliged
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. can — to be able to
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — tied together
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bat — the animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. chip — for betting
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bound — certain

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