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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wake — a trail
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. club — for golf
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lie — to recline
  21. club — a group
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. scale — in music
  24. wax — to grow

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