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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: club · snap · bound · pitcher · mug · wax · lean · foot

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lean — to bend
  3. club — a group
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. club — for dancing
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bound — obliged
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bound — certain
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. club — for golf
  16. lean — thin
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mug — a face
  19. wax — to grow
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mug — to rob
  24. foot — a measure

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