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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: band · stand · charge · firm · wax · row · bound · temple

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bound — obliged
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — in control
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. charge — electricity
  9. band — a ring
  10. bound — tied together
  11. firm — decided
  12. charge — a price
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. firm — a company
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. band — a music group
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — steady
  24. row — a line

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