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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. firm — a company
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. firm — steady
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. firm — decided
  24. leaves — to go away

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