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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pound — a weight
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. hand — help
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wax — to grow
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hide — to keep secret

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