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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. object — an aim
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cell — a phone
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fork — in a road
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. object — to protest
  16. net — in sport
  17. pound — a weight
  18. object — a thing
  19. wind — moving air
  20. net — for catching
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. net — after costs

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