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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. pound — a weight
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mate — a partner
  8. spell — letters
  9. firm — a company
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — a committee
  15. spell — magic
  16. board — to get on
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mate — a friend
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. spell — a short time
  24. mate — to breed

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