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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bound — certain
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pound — a weight
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bound — obliged
  9. press — to push
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. wax — to grow
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bound — tied together
  15. key — in music
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. key — the most important part

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