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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: bark · sharp · wax · key · cabinet · rule · band · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. band — a ring
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bark — to shout
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rule — a law
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bound — certain
  11. key — in music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bound — obliged
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. band — a music group
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rule — government
  24. sharp — exactly

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