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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · bear · spell · pit · fine · wax · straw · bound

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bound — certain
  3. pit — a hole
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fine — all right
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. spell — letters
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wax — to grow
  17. fine — high quality
  18. spell — a short time
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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