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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: squash · mouse · bound · tube · calf · wax · stand · content

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. squash — the sport
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bound — tied together
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bound — obliged
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. content — happy
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. content — the amount

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