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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. present — a gift
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pound — a weight
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. present — there
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. present — the time now
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stand — to bear
  17. game — a match
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rush — hurry
  24. game — wild animals

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