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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 · wave · bound · key · nail · game · march

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. key — in music
  3. bound — tied together
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. game — a match
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. march — the month
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — the most important part
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. march — the month
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. game — wild animals
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bound — obliged
  24. march — music

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