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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · deal · wax · club · lash · lie · object · game

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. club — a group
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. object — an aim
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. club — for dancing
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bound — tied together
  13. club — for golf
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — a match
  16. object — to protest
  17. wax — to grow
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bound — certain
  21. game — wild animals
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. object — a thing

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