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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: fork · perch · pass · can · roll · wax · object · bound

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pass — a permit
  10. object — an aim
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a list
  13. object — a thing
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. object — to protest
  17. roll — a cake
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bound — certain
  23. wax — to grow
  24. can — a tin

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