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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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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rule — a law
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pop — soda
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pop — to visit
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pound — a weight
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pop — music
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. dip — a sauce

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