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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: game · bound · firm · wax · pass · snap · bulb · bowl

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. firm — a company
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. firm — decided
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — a permit
  15. game — a match
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. firm — steady
  18. bulb — for light
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bowl — a football final

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