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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. ground — the earth
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. court — for sport
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rest — a break
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. court — of law
  23. court — of a king
  24. mouse — for a computer

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