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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 120 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bulb — for light
  7. drill — the tool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. net — after costs
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pound — a weight
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. net — in sport
  18. rest — a break
  19. club — a group
  20. net — for catching
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. drill — army training
  24. wax — for sculpting

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