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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 116 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: land · ball · bound · row · wax · deal · firm · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. row — to paddle
  5. ball — a great time
  6. firm — steady
  7. ball — a dance
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. land — a country
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. land — ground
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. firm — decided
  21. land — to come down
  22. firm — a company
  23. wax — to grow
  24. row — a line

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