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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
468
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: racket · bound · snap · chair · lie · wax · bore · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. ball — a dance
  4. snap — to click
  5. bound — certain
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bound — tied together
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bore — to tire
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. chair — a leader
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. lie — to recline
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bore — to drill
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. ball — a great time
  24. racket — for tennis

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