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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: perch · wax · date · spell · bound · track · fall · bore

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bound — certain
  3. spell — letters
  4. fall — to drop
  5. track — a path
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fall — the season
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fall — to drop
  20. track — a song
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bound — obliged
  24. track — to keep track

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