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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: pass · snap · straw · wax · bound · bore · arm · fine

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. snap — to click
  5. bound — tied together
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bore — to tire
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fine — all right
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pass — a permit
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bound — certain

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