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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 120 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: can · trunk · bound · pass · wax · bore · ball · deal

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bore — to drill
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bore — to tire
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wax — to grow
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. can — a tin
  24. wax — in the ear

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