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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wax · mug · staff · fan · bound · cabinet · kid · can

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — a tin
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bound — certain
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — child
  10. can — a tin
  11. mug — a face
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mug — a cup
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wax — to grow
  20. staff — employees
  21. mug — to rob
  22. staff — employees
  23. bound — obliged
  24. staff — a stick

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