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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lie — to recline
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bore — to drill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. swing — music
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. can — a tin
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wake — a trail
  24. can — a tin

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