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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pound — a weight
  5. current — electric
  6. land — to come down
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. current — happening now
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. land — a country
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. land — ground
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. current — of water
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. saw — the tool

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