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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. face — to point toward
  6. roll — a cake
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stand — to bear
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. season — in sport
  17. face — part of the head
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pound — a weight
  21. face — to confront
  22. season — of the year
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. roll — a list

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