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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pop — soda
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pop — music
  11. wax — to grow
  12. object — a thing
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. object — to protest
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — an aim
  24. pop — to visit

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