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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wax — to grow
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. tube — the underground
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. land — to come down
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — a country
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. board — to get on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wake — a trail
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. tube — a container
  21. land — ground
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ruler — a monarch

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