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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. fine — all right
  11. cold — an illness
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fine — high quality
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. game — wild animals
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cold — not warm
  23. game — a match
  24. cold — the Cold War

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