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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. key — in music
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. key — the most important part
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wound — an injury
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pound — a weight

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