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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. 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. club — a group
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. club — for golf
  8. roll — a list
  9. pound — a weight
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. roll — a cake
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. club — for dancing
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — to protest
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. object — an aim

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