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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bass — low music
  5. wax — to grow
  6. ball — a great time
  7. current — happening now
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. scale — size or range
  10. object — a thing
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. scale — in music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. current — electric
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. deal — to handle
  20. current — of water
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. object — an aim
  23. ball — a dance
  24. object — to protest

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