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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spring · temple · bound · mark · bowl · mug · wake · wax

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mug — a cup
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mug — to rob
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mark — a trace
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bound — certain
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mug — a face
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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