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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ground — crushed
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — a position
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pound — a weight
  13. snap — to click
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. hide — to keep secret

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