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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: charge · tube · nail · ball · fall · bowl · wax · bound

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — certain
  5. charge — a price
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bound — obliged
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ball — a dance
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bound — tied together
  14. tube — a container
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wax — to grow
  21. charge — in control
  22. nail — on a finger
  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