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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. content — the amount
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. saw — the tool
  9. race — humankind
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. content — happy
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bulb — for light
  21. race — the arms race
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wax — to grow
  24. race — a contest

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