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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. net — after costs
  4. rule — government
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rule — a law
  13. pound — a weight
  14. net — for catching
  15. lean — thin
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wax — to grow
  24. net — in sport

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