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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wax — to grow
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. content — the amount
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. firm — decided
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. firm — a company
  18. content — happy
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rock — music
  22. firm — steady
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. branch — a division

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