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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 116 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. scale — in music
  7. stock — shares
  8. band — a ring
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stock — goods
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. band — a music group
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pound — a weight
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — to grow

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