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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 120 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 · charge · wax · foot · sharp · temple · perch · craft

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. craft — boats
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. foot — a measure
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bound — obliged
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. bound — tied together
  12. charge — a price
  13. sharp — clever
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wax — to grow
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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