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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: suit · wax · tear · ball · mate · can · bound · present

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mate — a friend
  4. can — a tin
  5. tear — from crying
  6. can — a tin
  7. present — the time now
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. tear — from crying
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mate — to breed
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ball — a dance
  15. tear — to rip
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bound — obliged
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bound — certain
  22. suit — in cards
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

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