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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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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: pit · bat · mark · cabinet · bound · wax · current · face

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. current — electric
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. face — part of the head
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. face — to confront
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pit — in a race

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