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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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. net — in sport
  5. chip — for betting
  6. vault — a safe
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. net — after costs
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. net — for catching
  22. pound — a weight
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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