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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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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: bound · game · nail · charge · lie · wax · bulb · bore

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wax — to grow
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bore — to tire
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. charge — a price
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bound — certain
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bore — to drill
  21. charge — in control
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. game — a kind of play

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