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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wound — an injury
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. lie — to recline
  21. land — a country
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wax — in the ear

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