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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: arm · wave · bound · kick · track · wax · mug · last

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. track — to keep track
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. track — a song
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bound — tied together
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mug — a face
  15. track — a path
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wax — to grow
  22. kick — in football
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. last — final

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