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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: wax · clip · bound · suit · squash · bear · pass · fan

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bound — obliged
  4. clip — a video
  5. suit — in cards
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bound — tied together
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bear — the animal
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bound — certain
  24. suit — to fit

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