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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: cell · jam · dip · bound · wax · bay · leaves · bear

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bound — tied together
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bound — certain
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cell — in biology
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bound — obliged

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