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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 116 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: bound · current · wax · rule · row · object · safe · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. row — to paddle
  3. last — final
  4. rule — a law
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. object — to protest
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. row — a line
  12. object — an aim
  13. current — of water
  14. bound — obliged
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bound — tied together
  17. last — to go on
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rule — government
  22. bound — certain
  23. object — a thing
  24. wax — to grow

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