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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. swing — in golf
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. wake — a trail
  14. swing — music
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. fine — high quality
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fine — all right
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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