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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: bay · mate · cabinet · pass · bear · bound · wax · scale

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bound — tied together
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bound — certain
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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