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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: bound · rush · wax · fall · pitcher · firm · bore · face

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bound — obliged
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bound — certain
  11. firm — steady
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. firm — decided
  16. face — to confront
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. firm — a company

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