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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: wax · bound · rest · arm · snap · bowl · key · pitcher

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bound — certain
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rest — what's left
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rest — a break
  20. snap — to click
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bound — tied together
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — for a lock

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