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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: pit · key · land · wax · bass · bound · firm · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bass — low music
  3. land — a country
  4. key — in music
  5. land — ground
  6. pit — in a race
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. bound — certain
  10. land — to come down
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bass — the fish
  14. content — the amount
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bound — tied together
  22. firm — a company
  23. content — happy
  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