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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. spell — magic
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mark — a grade
  11. spell — letters
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wax — to grow
  15. toast — bread
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pound — a weight
  24. mark — to pay attention

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