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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. squash — the sport
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cap — a hat
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wave — with your hand

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