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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wax — to grow
  12. scale — in music
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. squash — the sport
  24. sharp — with an edge

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