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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
468
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 · bowl · bass · rule · rash · bound · hide · chest

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. chest — of your body
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rule — a law
  10. rash — a series
  11. bound — certain
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rule — government
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bound — obliged
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chest — a box

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